Congress, NCP spar over unsettling local political alliance in Maharashtra

State Congress chief accused the NCP of backstabbing over the election of a Zilla Parishad president

Even as the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continues to attack the ruling tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra, allies Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have developed differences, with the State Congress president accusing the NCP of backstabbing his party over the election of a Zilla Parishad president.

State Congress president Nana Patole, miffed over the NCP joining hands with the BJP at the Gondia Zilla Parishad, said, “The NCP has backstabbed Congress despite all three parties in MVA having previously agreed upon bringing the MVA into power in local bodies. The NCP openly joined hands with the BJP, which is unacceptable.”

In Bhandara, a rebel BJP faction led by former BJP MLA Charan Waghmare extended support to the Congress, ensuring the latter’s Gangadhar Jibkhate as Zilla Parishad president. A rebel BJP candidate Sandeep Tale became the vice-president. But in Gondia, the NCP extended support to the BJP, leading to the BJP’s Pankaj Rahangdale becoming the Zilla Parishad president with the NCP’s Yashwant Gunvir as vice-president.

“Friendship should be based on mutual trust. If we are going fight against each other, then do it on our face. Don’t attack from behind,” Mr. Patole said. He said that the issue would be discussed in the party’s chintan shivir to be held in Rajasthan this week.

The NCP reacted patiently, saying responsible leaders must not take extreme positions. “Gondia is a neighbouring district of his [Nana Patole’s] home district and it’s natural that he felt disturbed. The Congress and the NCP could not go together there. But there are local body polls coming up across the State in the coming few months, where a few things might happen. As a responsible leader, we feel that such extreme expression should be avoided,” NCP State president Jayant Patil said.

Meanwhile, the BJP has suspended rebel leader Charan Waghmare from the party for six years. Party leader and former Minister Chadrashekhar Bawankule said that the Congress had formed an “unnatural alliance” with the rebel BJP group in Bhandara and the party will be approaching the courts on the matter.